Treatment of lateritic ores



April 7, 1936. E. w. wEscoTT TREATMENT OF LATERITIC ORES Filed Jline 50, 1933 i Rzm.. Y OC E T5 N Nw R o w w f mW A w 1U C f w M a rg m c; 5 da W n M y Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TREATMENT 0F LATERITIC DRES Ernest W. Wescott, Niagara Falls, N. Y.

Application June 30,

51 Claims.

This invention relates to processes for the recovery of nickel from earthy usually hydrated oxide ores containing nickel in small amounts and iron in larger, usually very much larger amounts,-often called lateritic ores-wherein at elevated temperatures the nickel is rendered soluble as nickel chloride by the chloridizing agency of gaseous HC1 while the chloridizing of the iron is restrained or inhibited by the agency of gaseous H20.

Description of lateritic ores 'I'he process of this invention is particularly directed to the treatment of oxide ores containing small'amounts of nickel and large amounts of iron,usually from one to three per cent. of nickel and from thirty to sixty per cent. of iron. The ores in 'the unaltered natural state are characterized by the presence of much hygroscopic l water, that is to say, Water driven off by heat at or just above the boiling point of water; and further by the presence of combined water; that is to say, water not evolved by the ore at or just above the boiling point of water. The accepted temperature for determination of the hygroscopic water is 110 C.

The hygroscopic water often approaches 30% and is rarely lower than 20%. water is often as high as -13% (on the material freed from hygroscopic water) and rarely less than 7-9%.

Some of the combined water is believed to be present in the form of the mineral goethite, Fe2O3.H2O, and some in the form of the various forms of aluminum oxide, (of which the ores often contain considerable percentages) such as daspore AlO(OI-I); bauxite Al2O(OH)4 and hydrargillite Al OI-I)3. While most of the metals present appear to be in the form o'f oxides or hydrated oxides, there are usually small amounts of residual silicates, and combined water is doubtless present as Water of composition of these silicates. Typical examples are found in Cuba, Puerto Rico, British West Africa. and Dutch East Indies, less typical examples in Greece. Such ores are usually found as residual surface blankets of iron-bearing material and are believed to be derved from underlying basic rocks through tropical or semi-tropical weathering.

The term lateritic ores is frequently utilized to designate these ores, and without limiting myself by any theory as to the ori'gin of the ores, I shall use that term to designate the particular class of ore to the treatment of which this invention is addressed.

The combined 1933, Serial N0. 678,381

(Cl. 'l5-413) The hygroscopic moisture of lateritic ores is readily removed in large part by standing in reasonably dry air at ordinary temperatures and is quickly and completely removed at 100110 C.

The combined water on the contrary is not 5 quickly and completely removed even at 500 C.

A substantial part of the combined water in some samples from Levisa, Cuba, cornes on slowly at 250-275 C.; after 16 hours at 250 a sample showed 3.2% combined water; after 40 hours 10 2.8%. Twenty minutes at 325 C. decreased the combined water to the same extent as 16 hours at 250. The evolution oi combined water on heating is largely irreversible; on soaking in cold water or otherwise being exposed to water the ore does not recombine with water to any great extent. In some cases I have found 2% of recombination. Different ores evolve their combined water at different rates at the same elevated temperatures. Ihese characteristics of these ores 20 comport with known heat decomposition characteristics of goethite and of hydrated nickel compounds.

The ores consist of a major constituent usually exceeding 60% often exceeding 80% and some- 25 times exceeding 90% which upon gentle rubbing up in water can be shown to be exceedingly ilnely divided. This portion will all pass a 20G-mesh screen. Often more than half of it will pass a 325-mesh screen; indeed the true grain size of almost all the ne portion is probably finer than S25-mesh. The coarse portion usually contains a few per cent. of particles of chromite and usually substantially smaller percentages of fragments of quartz and serpentine. The remainder of the coarse portion consists of the so-called shot ore which is often somewhat poorer in nickel and richer in chromium than the rest of the ore. It is usually lower in hygroscopic water and comsists largely of slightly consolidated ne ore, with particles of chromite.

When dried bone dry the ore is notoriously dusty unle heated up to o r above incipient clinkering, nodulizing or sintering temperatures.

Prior knowledge Aqueous solutions of strong acids dissolve both the nickel and the iron in lateritic ores but there is no known wet way of attacking' the two sub- 50 stantially diflerentially, that is, of dissolving the greater part of the nickel-'70% to 90%- and but a small part of the iron.

Chloridizing processes have been proposed for nickel-iron ores in general wherein all the iron bined water. The shot ore is porous and con- 40A and nickel wereYi chloridized atelevatedrtempera tures, in some processes with C12 and areducing agent, in others with pure or gnearly pure HCl,

and the FeClarrvol'atilized or otherwise separated from the NiClz. e i

Other chloridizing processes have been proposed i'or treating the nickel-iron ores in general and garnierites-nickel iron silicate ores-in particular, with various metal chlorides;` in autoclaves at or below 190 C. with ferrie chloride solution; at temperatures around aj; red heat i with salt (NaCl); at intermediate temperatures of nickel. Where good yieldsgaof nickel have been possible,'it has beengnecessary in most cases to form iron chloride from all Vor a large part of the iron of the ore and to handle the iron chloride at least by traversing through mechanical (agitating) furnaces, often to vaporize or dissolve it, and thereafter to Work it in some manner. The proposals contain no teaching for the obtaining of high yields of nickel while avoiding the necessity of handling, or of forming from the ore and handling, amounts Vof iron or other extraneous chlorides large as compared to the nickel chloridized. .i

'I'hese prier processes have been in most cases proposed asapplicable Without differentiation to oxide ores preparedY by calcination. f

Objects of the inventief;YV

Lateriticores exist in enormous quantities in favorable locations, Yand in surface deposits which are cheaply mined with steam shovel or dragline excavators. Near the northeast coast of Cuba, for instance, therenare deposits believed to aggregate some billions of tons. These deposits comprise probably the worlds greatest nickel reserves, yet they are not ordinarily considered as such, because there has been no suiiciently economical method of nickel extraction.

A chief object of this invention is to provide a highly economical method of extracting nickel from these ores, based in part upon my discoveries of properties somewhat peculiar to them.

More detailed objects include:

Thev obtaining of high yields of nickel by solubilizing it to the extent of about -98% While solubilizing even initially but small percentage of the large amounts of iron present;

Providingfor chloridizir-g operations in cheap stationary reactors, largely or wholly built of iron, eliminating dust nuisance, refractories and capital and operating costs of rotary kilns or mechanical furnaces;

Providing for estreme perfection of gas-solid contact and counterow conditions, and hence high eiciencies both of reactor .volume and of reagent utilization, while eliminating necessity for briquetting, necessityf'for extraneous binding agents, or of sintering, nodulizing or clinkering; Making possible the production of highly concentrated. leach solutions of nickel Without evaporation or use of counter-current mechanically operated apparatus;

15% and often underY 5%.

General statement of invention rI'he process comprises, in general, preparatory treatment of the ore including drying to remove hygroscopic and usually some combined water and preferably, but not necessarily, the formation of the 'ore into roughlylike-sized lumps, and permissibly including classifying operations for theY elimination of'so-called shot ore and concentration ofnickel in the material to be treated; chloridizinfg operations substantially in the dry way atelevated temperatures, wherein large percentages of the nickel present are converted tochloride at temperatures below around 360 C.` and usually largely above aroundf C.,Hwhile relatively small percentages of the iron present are converted to chloride; iitilizingthe chloridizingpower of hydrochloric acid gas and the restraining or inhibiting power of steam, the maximum chloridizinglpower of the gases being correlated to the temperature; the chloridizing treatment being Voften but not necessarily follclwed by treatment with weaker gases (including permissibly Aoxidizing agents :ein controlled amounts) and/or at higher temperatures, to destroy chlorides of ironfetc., tosweep out HCl, and in some cases, to make the lumps leachable as such, while protectingiNiClz from destruction by maintaining a suiliciency of HCl, and it may be, of Clz, in the destroying gases; cooling the chloridized ore and leaching it to yield solutions containing nickel chloride preferably, but not necessarily, by countercurrent leaching with stationary beds of lumps ofjchloridi''zed ore, to yield concentrated solutions, Yand thereafter working the solutions for nickel preferably, but not necessarily, through agencies including heatand the hydrolyzing power of water, for the recovery of combined chlorine in the form of mixtures oi' hydrochloric acid gas and steam suitable for reuse in the chloridizing operation.

Certain of the more important disconeries ,(a) Different-mz chzoridizmw-As isknown, strong HC1 gas will chloridize the iron content of elateritic ores completely or almost completely.

This action has been used analytically, and has been made thegbasis of processes. I have discovered that the chloridizing eiect of HC1 on the iron content of these ores can be inhibited cr i restrained in very large part by the presence of 'proper amounts of water vapor-gaseous H2O.

In this way I have found it possible to chloridize 90%-98% of the nickel while chloridizing only small percentages of the iron-rarely more than If too much water vapor is present the chloridizing of the nickel in satisfactory measure is also inhibited. There is, however, a satisfactorily Wide range of usable gas compositions throughout the temperature range utilized.

The maximum temperature at which the actual ly is, with certairi ores, around 275 C. Poorer results are usually obtained around and above 300 C. The dinerentialfchloridizing maybe initiated at temperatures belowaround 190, but attempts i to complete the chloridizing of the nickel below that temperature usually'result in excessive chloridizing of iron and other disadvantageous results.

To give high yields 'of nickel, thevvolume per cent. HCl -in the mixtures of HC1 gas and water vapor must be brought up to certain strengthsfor particular ore and at particular temperatures, etc.but as I have discovered, most of the HC1 taken into combination by the ore constituents can be furnished at lower concentrations. So extreme is this effect that an ore requiring gases containing around volume per cent. HCl to give 92% nickel chloridization at 250 C. is capable at that temperature, when fresh, of stripping HCl completely from very dilute HCl-H2O gases, pure steam passing off. The same ore had its nickel content chloridized to upwards of 40% at that' temperature before requiring gases containing over 12 volume per cent. HC1.

(b) Reactivity- I have discovered that the nickel minerals in natural -lateritic ores possess ability" to react with HCl gas, under preferred circumstances, as later set forth, which is seriously decreased bylheating at and above certain temperatures and for times varying somewhat with different ores. The decrease in reactivityl appears to be roughly, but only roughly, parallel to the decrease in the combined moisture below the figure attained for the particular ore on long standing at around 19o-200 C. Cuban laterltic ores are unharmed by heating for long times at 200 to 225 as regards later treatment at 190-210, and but slightly, if at all harmed thereby for later treatment at 250. But if heated for the shortest time at 550, or for 10 to 20 minutes at around 325, or for 20 hours at 250, yields on treatment at 250 with 50 volume CII per cent. HCl which on fresh ore would have been -94% will drop to around 40-50%, and yields on treatment at i90-210" with 28-33 volume per cent. HC1 which would have been 95- 98% will usually drop below 75% and often below 50%. The combined'water in the damaged ore was found to range from around 2.8% to 4.2% in various cases. y

It will be understood that the reactivity I have discovered is a differential one as regards iron:

an ability of the nickel minerals to react with HCl gas nearly completely under conditions where the iron minerals present react but little. It is this relative or differential reactivity which is lost by overheating, as above indicated. Absolute reactivity is not lost; the nickel in heat-damaged ore will react completely with sufficiently Astrong HC1 and in sufficient time even at, say 300-but the iron is then also very largely, even n nomenon, which is the more remarkable in that 30-40% of the nickel often retains reactivity after severe heat treatment. Possibly the phe- Y l .l v aso',c4 differential chloridizing 4 place satisfactori- 3 nomenon is analogous to that occurring when nickel oxide is roasted and then becomes relaltively. insoluble in aqueous acids. The nickel 4mineral in lateritic ores is probably highly dispersed or disseminated and possibly a portion of it is isolated by alumina or other substances from -other molecules of nickel mineral with which it 'could recrystallize or otherwise. alter into a denser or otherwise more inert form. Possibly the nickel isY present in part as hydrated silicate in which it is locked up to varying degrees depending upon its position in the silicate molecule and the degree of dehydration of the silicate.

(c) Lumps.-Lateritic ores (unless calcined,I etc.) are notoriously dusty in dry process work and notoriously difllcult to leach thereafter, requiring the handling of vast volumes of poorlysettling mud. I have discovered that these ores can be formed into lumps in diverse ways without damaging nickel reactivity (as by calcining) or incurring costs and interfering with the chemistry of the process (as by briquetting with organic binders); that these lumps are sufficiently porous to react completely even when as large as 1/2 diameter and larger; that they are strong enough to withstand reasonably careful handling, -and to carry their own Weight in deep charges; and, most remarkable of all, that they withstand leaching and do not disintegrate in water, if chloridized as I later direct, thus permitting percolating or sand leaching in good counterflow, with high porosity and easy flow through the leaching beds.

Various other discoveries will be set forth further on in the specification.

Preparation of ore One preferred method of preparing lumps lof ore is as follows: The natural ore' as mined is disintegrated by passing through toothed rolls 1/4 inch and coarser than 3A, inch was returned tofthe feed end of the cylinder.

The roughly like-sized lumps between 1A and inch indiameter are then dried upon a dryer vsimilar to a straight line sintering machine but of lighter construction because of the low temperatures involved. The maximum temperature -of the hot gases furnished to the wind box of the drier was 210 C. in one case. In order to insure uniformity of drying and preheating, the hot gases were sucked down through the discharge end of the traveling bed of ore and thereafter up through the rest of the body of ore. Twenty-ve minutes were required for this drying and preheating operation. The ore discharged from the drying belt was fed directly into a chloridizing reactor. -This method of drying fulfills the desirable condition that the drying time and the maximum temperature to which the ore is exposed be under ready control.

In another method cf preparation, ore from the mines near Levisa in Cuba was treated. This ore contained lli-20% of particles coarser than 40 mesh and 77 of it was finer than 200 mesh. The material coarser than 40 mesh was in the form of hard rounded lumps often called shot ore,

and co tained less nickel than the flne portions. The na ural ore was worked up with water and the shot ore was eliminated by known water classification means. Some concentration of nickel in the fines resulted. The pulp of ne ore was Adewatered, filtered and the filter cake was dried with low temperature heat. The filter cake was then ybroken up in known ways to give the maximum of the desired size range, oversize and undersize being returned and mixed into thickened pulp ready for filtration. The roughly like-sized lumps were then given final drying and preheating on a straight linerdsintering machine type of dryer as previously described.

Definition of certain terms Hydrochloric acid, HC1, is not the equivalent of elemental chlorine, C12, in this specification. HCl may be generated from C12 and vice versa in ways known in the art, but only under special circumstances. When Cla is specified, it is for a special purpose, entirely different from the purposes for where the two are specifically differentiated.

- Non-equivalence of HCl and of chlorides, such as FcCZa, FeClz, etc., as chloridz'eing agents In the present process, the formation of either ferrous or ferric chloride in the chloridizi'ng is undesirable and, as will be seen, the gas concentrations are controlled as to the ratio of HC1 to H2O to minimize formation of iron chlorides to the extent compatible with the desired degree of solubilizing of nickel. The essential reagents in chloridizing are HC1 and H2O and it is the volume percentages of these gases in the interrequires special procedures and expense to insure its decomposition, unless ferro-nickel is to be produced.

As I find, ferrous oxide as such cannot exist in significant quantities in the. dry ore ready for treatment at operating temperatures. Such FeClz as is formed results either from the undesirable action of traces of organic matter not oxidized in drying or from the attack of Cr2O3FeO-chromite--and Fe2O3-FeOmagne tite (or their hydrates). Ferrous oxide in these combinations is in general very tightly bound and under the conditions of operation of this specification is less easily attacked by HCl gas than is ferrie oxide or goethite.

Oxygen in the drying gases 'assists in minimizing the formation of FeClz, possibly by removing organic matter-root dbris, etc.

In the drawing, there is shown, in part elevation and part vertical section, a more or less diagrammatic embodiment of one form of apparatus that may be used in carrying out the invention. i

The apparatus illustratedv consists essentially of a vertical iron pipe 5 closed at both ends,

and provided with a feed hopper 6 of conven tional gas-sealing type at the upper end with a similarly gas sealed discharge outlet I at the lower end. A steam outlet pipe 8 also communicates with the upper end of the reactor thus formed. 'I'he reactor is protected from cooling by conventional means. In an intermediate section, from B to C as shown, the reactor is provided with a jacket 9 and an internal heating coil I 0. The jacket and coil are provided with a heat-supplying and distributing liquid or vapor from a source not shown. An inlet pipe I2 is provided for leading in HC1 and steam gases recovered from nickel chloride leach solutions as later described, such gases being introduced as shown at a suitable point in the zone C-D, where they join the upward stream of gases passing through the reactor. A diffuser, not shown, distributes the gases thus fed into the upward stream. A test aperture I4 is provided at B for withdrawing samples. Other test apertures not shown are provided for withdrawing samples at other points .along the reactor. Pipe connections suitably spaced for the purposes hereinafter more fully described are provided for withdrawing gases from'diiferent sections of the reactor'and introducing them at other zones in the reactor. Two sets of connections are shown. One set consists of the valve-controlled pipe conn'ections I8, 20, 22, communicating with the reactor along an intermediate portion of the section A-B and with a pipe I5 through which gases are drawn by the fan I 'I, and blown into the reactor at I6. The other set of valvecontrolled pipe connections 26, 28, 30, communicates with the reactor still higher along section A-B and with a. pipe 23 through which gases are drawn by the fan 25 and blown into the reactor at 24. Chlorine for the purposes hereinafter described may be introduced into pipe I5 through a valve connection 2'I. The Asection C-D of the reactor should be made of 18-8 chrome-nickel ferrous alloy or other suitable corrosive-resistant material. For a description of the process as it may be carried out in a reactor of the type above described, reference is made to .the description of Example 4 hereinafter set forth.

It will be understood that the apparatus illustrated is merely one 4embodiment of apparatus that may be used in carrying out the process. Many other forms of apparatus mayl be employed, for example, a series of reactors wherein the charge is held stationary and through which the gases are circulated in series or any other desired arrangement consistent with the teachings of the process.

SPEcrnc ILLUSTRATIONS or PBooEss Example 1 Lateritic ore from the Bella Maria deposit near Levisa Bay in Cuba in the form of lumps ranging from 0.09" to 0.132 diameter and containing practically no shot" ore was dried and brought up to temperature in 20 minutes in a rapid stream of hot gases at a maximum temperature of around 275 C. The temperature of the lumps was measured by a. shielded thermocouple buried in the mass. 'I'he ore as dried contained 49.7%

' iron, 10.9% alumina, 2.17% chromium, 3.2% s11- ica, 1.57% nickel and 8.7% combined water.

The lumps were placed hot in a vertical iron pipe, being supported upon a screen at the bottom of the pipe. The depth of the charge was.v about ten times the diameter. The pipe was protected from cooling and was maintained at a temperature in the range of 265 to 275 C. .Steam containing initially a bare trace of HC1 and coming from other reactor pipes undergoing similar treatment 'was first passed through thecharge pt ore. The ore charge showed but slight resistance to the iiowof gases. The exit gases conslsted of steam free from HC1. Gases progressively richer and richer in HC1 were passed in and attained 50-55 volume per cent. of HCl at the end of 40 minutes. When traces of HC1 appeared in the existV gases, they were passed into and through a similar charge in another pipe. The full strength gases were blown through the pipe for two hours.

A sample of the chloridized lumps then showed the nickel 90.2% soluble in waterA as chloride. Of the total iron present only 2.82% was soluble. Of this 2.82%, 1.28% was soluble as ferric chloride and 1.54% as ferrous chloride.

Steam containing about 10 volume per cent. of HC1 was then blown through the charge. This treatment lasted 30 minutes. The gases utilized for this treatment were the exit gases from other pipe reactors undergoing treatment. The lexit gases from this operation which I denote `as a.

hydrolyzing or chloride-destroying treatment f were thereafter passed over relatively fresh ore,- ore which had not theretofore been under the influence of gases as strong as these exit gases from the hydrolyzing treatment.

v The nickel in the charge was then of the same per cent. solubility as before. No trace of ferric chloride was found. The ferrous chloride previously found was substantially unchanged. The charge contained some gaseous HC1, which was swept out rapidly with hot oxygen-low flue gases.

The charge was then removed from the reactor,-from which the lumps viiowed readilycooled and leached in countercurrent with water. The solution obtained contained 30.7% of solids. The solids were crystallized out by evaporation and consisted largely of nickel` and ferrous chlorides. The ore residue contained 0.07% of combined chlorine.

For each 100 lbs. of nickel in the crystals they contained 53 lbs.` of iron. The crystals were placed in a. muie furnace and heated at 550 to 650 C. Air was blown in and brought in good contact with the solids. The solids were converted to nickel oxide and FezOa. The gases Ipassing off contained, by volume, 49% HC1, 42% H2O, slightly over 8% or" nitrogen and a fraction of a per cent. of oxygen. These gases were reutilized in chloridizing fresh charges and had about the same eifectiveness in chloridizing nickel and inhibiting the chloridizing of iron as a mixture of 52 volume per cent. of HC1 and 48 volume per cent. of steam.

The mixed oxides were smelted to ferro-nickel.

Example 2 Ore similar to that utilized in Example 1 was dried and brought up to a temperature of 250 C.

49 volume per cent., the rest of the gases being steam. After treatment with that strength ol'` gases for twohours a sample was analyzed and the nickel present was 93.5% water soluble as chloride. Of the iron present 4.4% was soluble as ferrie chloride and 2.1% as ferrous chloride.-

A small amount of aluminum was present as chioride. The chloridized ore was then treated with dilute gases as in Example 1, for 30 minutes. 'I'he nickel solubility was then found to be 93.2%-substantlally unchanged, the difference being believed due to the difficulty of accurate sampling. Ol' the iron present 0.6% was soluble as ferrie chloride and 2.2% as ferrous chloride. A. trace of aluminum was still found soluble. Upon cooling and leaching as in Example 1 strong solutions were obtained. Most of the combined chlorine in the solution was recovered as HC1-H2O gases and reutilized in chloridizing. 'I'he solutions contained more iron in proportion to the nickel than was to ,be expected from the analysis of the sample. This appeared to be due at least in-part to HCl held as such in the ore, which dissolved in the leach solution and which attackedA the ore to some slight extent when the solution became concentrated or possibly due to the action in strong solution of aluminum chlo-i rides or airy-chlorides. In one operation, this residual HC1 was decreased by ventilation;l in another, by brief application of a vacuum, which may be regarded as a form of ventilation.

While I have illustrated operations at 250 and 270 with stationary charges of ore,l I usually prefer in operation at these temperatures to `work with a continuous or nearly continuous downward ow of ore and discharge of chloridizedmaterial, as so doing decreases the risk of damage to ore standing in the reactor and awaiting treatment.

At around Z50-275 the evolution of combined water from the ore during chloridizing dilutes the acid gases, and particular care must be used to see that the gases are actually Aup to strength in the ore mass. i

` Example 3 This example gives several illustrations of the deleterious results oi' heating a. particular sample of ore at too long times and/or at too high temperatures prior to chloridizing at around 250 C. In each illustration the ore and the procedure was as in Example 2 except for the drying and preheating operation. Y

Sample A washeated in steam at 250 C. until the combined water content dropped to 6.5%. The nickel solubility resulting from the stated chloridizing treatment was 69%.

Sample B was heated at 250 C. until the combined water dropped to 3.7%.- After the stated chloridizing treatment the nickel solubility was found to be 44.5%.

Sample C was heated to 250 in vacuo until the combined water dropped to 4.29%. The nickel solubility was found to be 56.4%.

Sample D was heated at 550 just long enough to make sure that the ore actually attained that temperature. The combined water was around 1%. The nickel solubility found after the stated chloridizing as before was 35.2%.

Example 4 A certain lot of lateritic ore was formed into lumps 1A to diameter and dried in a rapid current of waste flue gases containing much oxygen. The maximum temperature of the dryore has been exposed YYto volume per cent. HC1,

the nickel solubility is56 per cent. when exposed to 25 volume'gper cent. HC1, the nickel solubility is 89%. After exposure to 28 -volume per cent. HC1 the nickel solubility is 95.8%. At this stage 4.92% of the VYtotal iron is present as .ferrie chioride and 0.89% of it is present as ferrous chloride. The chloridizedore contains 0.5% of chlo.

rine insoluble in water, largeiy' due tov the presence of ferrie oxychloride, ieOCl. Under one per cent. of the total iron is in this form. A sample withdrawn through the test aperture at B and washed with water breaks up into a mud.

In.Y the section from B to C the temperature of the ore is; raised to 270290 C. Samples of ore withdrawn in the vicinity of the inlet pipe I2 show no ferric chloride and ferricioxychloride absent or in uncertain traces. Water insoluble chlorine is under 0.1%. Nickel and ferrous chloride are unchangedas compared to the sample withdrawn at I l.

At I6, gases drawn as desired from valve-controlled pipeirconnections I8, 20, 22 areI blown in by ran I1. Connections are changed when 'necessary so that theseY gasesv contain-812 voiume percent. HC1. With them is blown in elemental chlorine in small amounts, controlled so that chlorine in the upward stream disappears at around inlet I2. At 24 gases are blown in as desired from the second set of valve-controlled connections 26, 28,730, adjusted so that the HC1 volume per cent. is around 2%. The volumes offgases fed at I2, I6 and 24 areadjustedso that the rising gases at`B are around 28 volume per cent. The ore is withdrawn at D through the gas sealing gate 1. Analyses ofsamplestshow nickel chloride the same as at B, ferric chloride absent. lFerrous chloride is present in traces.

The ore will contain HCl-some held in the porosities of and interstices between lumps, some perhaps held in other and unknown ways. Flue gas low in oxygen isV blown rapidly through the ore lunips for a few minutes in a separate container thus sweeping out this. HC1. The Ventilating gases are passed over fresh ore destined to be fed into the reactor at Azand the small amount of HC1 gas is absorbed byethe ore.

The lumps are then leaohed by countercurrent percolating water. They .do not disintegrate. The leaclnng is done in a series of concrete tanks with false bottoms, the solution being pumped from one tank to another. Solutions as ontained have contained 34.7% solids.

i In a. laboratory test under conditions simulating those above described, with an` ore substantially free from manganese and from calcium and magnesium, for each 100 lbs. of nickel there was found(E 7.98 lbs. cobalt and 1.52 lbs. iron. Arportion Yof the solution was drawn o from the rest. The iron in this portion was xidizedwith calcium hypochlor-ite and the mtals in this portion then all precipitated asfcarbonates and hydroxides in known manner. The prewere precipitated, the iron as ferrie hydrexideand the cobalt as cobaltic oxide or hydroxide.

The precipitate was granular and easy to filter. It contained some basic nickel carbonate, which was removed by agitation with fresh leach solution destined'to similar purification. The precipitate was washed, and the washings used to prepare mixed carbpnates and hydroxides for use as precipitant in further batches. The precipitate contained only iron, cobalt and small angounts of Al(OII)a-and was commercially nickel-free. It was `smelted to ferro-cobait the A1203 being slagged off. Another lot was refined to pure cobalt oxide by known methods.

The solution nowvcontaining nojcobalt oriron, but slightly diluted, and uncontaminated with NaCl, CaClz, etc.,as it would have been if it had been treated in usualways, was then evaporated and nickel chloride crystallized out. The hydrated crystals were calcined at a low red heat in the absence of air. Nickel oxide and e. mixture of HC1 and H20 gases were produced. The gases were fed back to the reactor. Part .of the nickel oxide was smeltedto metallic nickel, and

part was used in manufacturing nickelY chromium alloys. e, .Y

Example 5 This example gives several illustrations of the effectof stronger acids than necessary ordesiraisle.. l

A. In one test, nickel solubility of 92.6% was attained by chloridizing for two hours at 250 C. with 60 volume per centi HCl. The chloridized ore contained 1.64% iron as ferric'chloride, 1.86% iron as ferrous fchloride' and only a trace of FeOCl. Y This was reasonably -satisfactory as shown by other tests but less iron would have been chloridized with somewhat weaker acids and nickel solubility would have been as good.V

l B. In Yanotheretest -95% HC1 wasused at 250., Nickel solubility was only 58% after two hours. (The sample hadY had its combined water reducedV to 3.8% before chloridizing.) The chloridized ore contained 20.3% FeOCl. 'I'hirty-four per cent. of the .total iron was chloridized.

C. Wh strong HCl (90 to 100%) at 225, two hours, on fresh ore, 40% of the iron' was chloridized. Y

D. Operation at 270 with 70-74 volume per cent. HC1 gave nickel solubilitysubstantially the same as in Example fi-,89.7%1 But the iron chlorideincreased, and was 6.8% as compared to the 2.82% found in that example.

E. In another test showing the bad effects of stronger acid than necessary, 38 volume per cent. acid was usedat 19o-200 C. Nickelrwas 93% soluble, Twenty-seven per cent of the 'total iron This example illustrates the effects ef gases of insufficient chloridizing power. i

A. Acid gases containing about 10-*12 volume per cent. HC1 with the balance? steam were passed over samples of ore #with reactivity undiminto.v

bility of 96.2%.

ished) at various temperatures and 'for various times with the following results:

Time 2 hrs. 44 hrs.

Temperature-; 225 225 Per cent Ni soluble.' 52 54 B. Similar operations were carried out intr alia with volume per cent. acid, with the following results: f

20 hrs.

Time 4 hrs. Temperature 190-200 C. 190-200" C. Per cent Ni soluble--- 44 64 If the gases are not strong enough to chloridize 5 the nickel satisfactorily in a few hours, long continued chloridizing with the 'same strengthgases will not greatly improve the results, in the temperature range where the attack is satisfactorily dierential as between nickel and iron.

Chloridizing below around 190v Chloridizing at temperatures appreciably below 190.tends towards excessive attack of iron; the

differential character of the chloridizing effect of HC1-H2O vapor mixtures is progressively de- 'creased as the temperature is lowered merging nally into the essentially non-diierential effect of aqueous solutions of HC1. This observation applies particularly to HCl- H2O ratios capable of producing good nickel solubilities and` with times necessary for that result. The loss of the solubility while 53.4% of theI iron present was chloridized-a most undesirable result. The lumps of ore became wet.'

Prolonged treatment-20 hrs-with 14 volume per cent. HC1 in a reactor tube held at 180 C. gave only 72.6% nickel solubility, and 52% iron solubility. The lumps of ore became wet although only after 12 hours treatment.

In the range below around 190, long continued chloridization with HCl-HQO gases ultimately results in condensation of water and in such quantity that the lumps become soft and pasty, then consisting of a mere skeleton or sponge of ore residue impregnated with saturated ferric chloride solution. I advise against operations producing this result which I do not consider as comprehended within the term in the dry way. Brief and transient chloridizing below 190, with rapidly rising ore temperatures is however sometimes desirable., i For instance, with reasonably \rapid chloridizing, ore dried at 210 and cooled, e. g., in transit to the reactor to as low as 1170", will rise rapidly in temperature to above due to heat of reaction and heat of the gas stream, etc.

With ore which has had the' reactivity of its nickel content reduced by heating too long, or at too high temperatures, or by natural causes, such as metamorphic effects, so that unsatisfactory yields are obtained by my more preferred procedures, I often obtain good yields by-initiating and carrying on the chloridizing to a considerable extent below 190. Iron chloridization is then usually substantially more extensive than with preferred procedure. In one case using 52 volume per cent. HC1 and an externally vapor-heated reactor, and treating material with combined water reduced to 3.8%, I obtained a nickel solu- 'I'he chloridlzed ore contained 19% FeOCl. Thirty per cent. vof the viron was chloridized. In other cas/es I have obtained nickel solubilities of 86-93% with 15-20% of the iron chloridized. Operations as just described are expensive and I advise that they should not be resorted to except with tivity as mined.

Eects on heating up chloridzed or partly chlo- -ridizedpra and on heating up daring chloridizinyi when ore cmoridized at for instance 19o-210 C. is thereafter heated up, in the absence of any externally supplied gases, the combined water progressively released reacts with ferrie and aluminum chlorides (not appreciably with ferrous chloride or nickel chloride) and produces HCl. In one case, heating up ore chloridized at arounld 210, there were evolved while heating up from 220 to 230 (in process of heating up to higher temperatures) gases containing over 60 volume per cent. HCl. Such gases are undesirabiy strong for that temperature; they produce FeOCl and increase the undesirable production of ferrous chloride. In one case, heating up to 250, ferrous iron soluble asvchioride increased from 0.64% to 1.16%; in another case heating up to 300 ferrous iron as chloride increased from 0.84% to 4.04%-a most undesirable result. In both cases, the amount of FeOCl in the ore was more than doubled.

It is important when the temperature of the chloridized or partly chloridized ore is raised that this effect be controlled, As has been seen (Example 4), I do this by furnishing HCl--H2O gases which dilute the gases evolved by the ore lumps down to the desired concentration, or even below it, then restoring concentration by stronger gases'from without. 'Ihis later procedure insures againstl over chloridizing-increasing unnecesores of low nickel reacsarily the amounts of iron chlorides during the elevation of temperature. I usually prefer to operate in this way, completing the chloridizlng of the nickel before elevating the temperature (except as self-elevated during chloridizing by heats of reaction in often somewhat transient degree).

I may, however, utilize the. effect which is in I then o 97--98%. The operation requires careful control to avoid increase in ferrous chloride and in FeOCl; when either appears in troublesomely increased quantities, I increase the flow of diluting gases. With large lumps and particularly then with rapid heating up, either by heat of reaction or by external heating, strong HC1 gases may be generated inside the lumps and over chloridize ore there before the generated gases can be diluted to the proper strength by the gases fiowing around the lumps. This effect can be controlledA by using smaller lumps, by increasing gas velocities, and by slowing down the temperature rise.`

Temperatures in the chlordzing operation As has been seen, the chloridizing of the nickel I l is carried out often wholly and always partly above temperatures around 190 C. Ihe lower limit is set -by the excessive formation of other chlorides than that of nickel and by the ultimate wetting of the ore at lowertemperatures.

V'Ihe upper limit of operations is usually set partly by fundamental properties of iron chlorides FeCl: and FeOCl and partly by the character of the particular ore in question. At around 290-310 C. and upwards the nickel in most ores loses ability jto react with HC1 of desirable strengths so' fast as to interfere with operations. High solubilities and yields then require the use of very strong HC1 gases dlilic'ult to recover from the leach sovlutions and the use oi' these strong gases results in excessive iron attack. Excessive iron attack is contributed to at these temperatures by the volatilizing of FeCla and even FeOCl in the stream of strong HC1 gases. This invention does'not contemplate operation with substantial volatilization of the iron content of the ore.

Some ores lose nickel reactivity when standing hot much more rapidly than others; this characteristic is readily detected by a simple test. Ores of extreme heat sensitivity should usually be chloridized at 19o-210; almost always below 235 or 225.

Precautions against destroying NiClz while destroying FeCla, etc.

In order to avoid destroying NiClz by the reaction NiCl2+H2O=NiO+2HCl it is necessary that the steam or YH2O-HC1 gases dilute in HCl used in destroying FeCl3, etc., contain at least minimum amounts of HCl. The minimum necessary amounts are larger the higher the temperature, and are somewhat variable with Adiilerent ores. At around 275 C. one volume per cent HC1 in steam sometimes suflices when the treatnient is very brief; I have decomposed NiCla at that temperature with steam containing one volume per cent HC1, and even with 5 volume per cent. HCl when the treatment is prolonged. I find volume per cent. safe even for prolonged treatment.

When other gases than HC1 and H2O are present, such as Clz or oxygen to participate in the destruction of FeClz (and when oxygen is used, air), the protective effect of HC1 on NiClz is lessened, and more HC1 must be present in proportion to the steam.

Nickel chloride is also susceptible to destruction as I-nd by oxygen. The eiect is usually negligible at around 275-300, but becomes pronounced at higher temperatures. It can be protected against by the presence of small amounts 0f C12.

It is permissible to heat the chloridized ore-to temperatures exceeding those given in the specific illustrations. When so doing even greater precautions should be taken to avoid the destruction of nickel chloride. If air is passed over lthe ore at high temperatures. some elemental chlorine, C12, should be present to protect the nickel chloride from oxidation. Cobalt requires still more chlorine to prevent the'oxidation of its chloride.

9,086,864 It will be understood that the effect may be The cost of operation is substantially increased by operating at high temperatures, and I advise against them. There is rarely any justicaton for operating at temperatures higher than or even as high as 350; around 275 usually suffices.

As has been seen the use of steam at high temperatures and ,even at o-275 alone or mixed with air, requires that some HCl be present to protect the nickel (and cobalt) chlorides from decomposition. At around 350-450 steam, HC1, oxygen and C12 participate in a balanced reaction-the Deacon reactionwhich controls the ratio of the various gases, to an extent depending on the catalytic character of the ore. This fact introduces some dliiiculty in adjusting independentlythe C12 and HCl concentrations to the levels which will protect the nickel and cobalt chlorides from the oxygen and from the steam. In case nickel (orcobalt) solubility is lost the procedure ls to lower the temperature, if possible, until the desired solubility is no longer lost; if at thelowest temperature at which it is desired to operate the solubility is still unsatisfactory the concentration of the protective agents (HC1, C12) Ymust be lincreased-or the concentration of oxygen and/or steam decreased, until the desired solubility is retained.

Use of oxidizing agents during chloridjzing operation ,I

Further notes on FeClz destruction As has been indicated, Feen, Alois and Feoci can always be destroyed, without harming NiClz, by increasing the H2O and decreasing the HC1 l concentrationsfor commercial rapidity, best at about '275 C. Ferrous chloride requiresl an oxidizing agent as wel?. Oxygen has advantages over chlorine, especially at temperatures where the Deacon process reaction (cited elsewhere) does not take lplace, in that 'it permits the use of reactors Wholly of iron; with C12, the portions exposed to C12 are best made of chrome-nickel ferrous alloy. But with oxygen,I allowance must be made for the influence of the residual nitrogen in decreasing the activity of HC1 and increasing the activity of H2O, as elsewhere explained. To avoid this, I sometimes destroy iirst most of the FeCl3, AlCls and FeOCl, and then in a separate gas stream treat with air and HCl-H2O gases dilute in HCl to destroy the FeClz, by-passing the exit gases from this step around the main chloridizing and temperature-elevating and hydrolyzing zones and adding these gases to the main stream where it has become weakened "in HCl. ACls is not destroyed as perfectly as is FeCla; at least small amounts of soluble aluminum habitually appear in the leached solution as has been indicated. I am unable to say Whether this is due to traces of 'A'Cls resisting the effect of steam, or due to the re-formation of AlCh on wetting (in the leaching step) by the action of residual small amounts of HCl.

. l Eect of pressure, vacuum and other gases than HCI and water vapor' In most cases I recommend operation at atmospheric pressure. Superatmospheric pressures may be used, but the expense is rarely iustined. When operating under superatmospheric pressure, the relative activity of HC1 gas is greater, and that of H2O gas is less than atmospheric pressure. Similarly, operation may be carried on at reduced pressure, but this again is rarely desirable. At reduced pressure, the restraining effect of H2O gas is relatively increased, and the chloridizing power of HCl gas relatively decreased. Under either sub or superatmospheric pressures, the changes in the activities of the two agents can readily be adjusted for.

The presence of other gases than the two essential ones simulates the effect of reducing the total pressure. This case is often met in practise. When substantial amounts of other gases than HCl and Hzoare present, e. g. N2, CO2 (more rarely, Oz, C12) the ratio of HCl to H2O should be adjusted. More HC1 gas should then be present in proportion to the H2O gas. A good general rule for preliminary adjustment is that the square of the volume per cent of HC1 gas in the diluted mixture divided by the volume per cent oi H2O gas in the dilutedmixture should equal the square of the volume per cent of HCl gas in a satisfactory undiluted mixture divided by the volume per cent of H2O gas in that undiluted mixture. More HCl is often required. This computation is rarely necessary; it usually sufllces, when changing from pure to diluted gases, to increase the HCl and decrease the H2O slowly until satisfactory results are obtained. I advise against operating at high dilutions with N2, CO2, etc. and regard as an important feature of my invention its provisions which render such dilution unnecessary.

Ady'usting pas strengths-HC1 replacement Hydrochloric acid gas produced in known ways and used for replacement of losses is usually too strong for use without dilution. chloric acid containing gases recovered from the calcination oi' nickel chloride, etc. are also often too strong. It'will be appreciated that Vsteam or steam containing some HCl gas is always available in the process for dilution of these feed gases to the proper strength.

In operating the chloridizing step at any particular temperature or within any particular range of temperatures I advise starting with gases of a maximum strength somewhat lower than I believe to be required for the desired yields. For instance 20-22 volume per cent HC1 at 19o-210 C. or 35 to 40 volume per cent HCl at around 250 (the balance of the gases being H2O), and then as chloridized ore comes thru available for analysis slowly increasing the HCl content of the gases from time to time which is easily done as for instance by decreasing the feed-back of diluting gases from points farther on in the flow of the chloridizing gases. In this way with a particular ore, apparatus, drying conditions, gas velocities, etc.. the optimum gas concentrations are readily adjusted to, and the desired yields of nickel obtained with a maximum differential chloridizing effect, that is to say, a minimum chloridizing of iron.

The hydro- Resistance of lumps to 'dsintegrattnq eject of water as aected by maximum. temperature and presence of iron chlorides As has been seen properly chloridized lumps chloridized at around Z50-275 C. or given a treatment at those temperatures or upwards subsequent to chloridizing did not disintegrate upon leaching. Lumps of ore chlordized at i90-210 usually do disintegrate upon leaching and if it is desired to obtain the benefits of percolatlng leaching and inexpensive production of strong solutions the lumps must then be heated to higher temperatures. Lumps produced in the range from 21o-235 are often sensitive to water especially if very high solubility of nickel has been obtained, as by using somewhat greater strengths of HC1 than entirely necessary. Chloridized lumps can always be made resistant to leaching by the described treatments; that is to say, by elevating the temperature and/or destroying extraneous chlorides.

Drying times and temperatura-Variability of ores With the ores dealt with in the illustrations, damage to reactivity on standing hot was nil at 150 C., negligible at around 20D-225, slow at around 250 and very rapid at around 30D-325. The damage is rapid at around 325 with all ores I have tested, but the temperature at which loss of reactivity begins on standing hot is variable. I have never found it low enough to interfere with drying for treatment at i90-225. In some cases it is excessively slow at 250. The safe temperature can readily be ascertained for any ore. In operation it is a good rule to keep the drying time as short Ias convenient, and to raise the maximum temperature of the drying gases from time to time until decrease in nickel solubility beyond the desired point gives warning. It is then usually best to decrease the maximum temperature of the drying gases a few degrees and thereafter hold them steady. Economy in drier output and heat consumption is served by drying at the highest temperature compatible with the desired yields.

It isusually desirable to drive olf, in addition to the hygroscopic water, as much combined water as can be driven off without reducing diierr ential nickel reactivity under the particular operating conditions. With a plant in steady operation, giving satisfactory yields of nickel, it is often desirable to increase the amount of combined water being driven off by small increments until nickel yields start to drop,-usu ally by increasing the drying temperature, better, if ample drier capacity is available, by increasing drying time as by increasing depth of ore bed on drier belt or grate and slowing down its speed.

Ores containingcalcum and magnesium carbonates the calcium4 and magnesium chlorides formed are decommsed in known vlays.-` i

Ores lcmztainimy manganese e Manganese isl frequently present in: lateritic nickel ores, in percentages often around 0.4 to 0.8. It usually behaves like nickel in the chloridizing and chloride-destroying steps, and manganese chloride passes into solution alng with nickel chloride when such a manganiferous ore which ias beerr treated by the process is leachei. In theccalcination of the chlorides obtained by leaching to convert nickel chloride to nickel oxide and HCl-steam gases, manganese chloride i when present is also converted= 4to oxide and to HCl-steam gases. 2'

Ores approaching the garnieritic type are often so dense and non-porous as to require fine grinding. Furthermore, such ores are often so rich in nickel that itrs more profitable to treat them by knewn direct smelting methods than by the present process. Y i

Treatment of leach solutions? Illustration has been given el' the preparation oi' pure strong nickel solutions free Yfrom iron and cobalt as well as from the products oi' the precipitants'used in conventional separation and precipitation 9i themetals involved, such as, sodium chloride or calciumvchloride, and I have illustrated the production of nickel oxide from such solutions withoutuse of chemicals and with recovery of gaseous mixtures of HCi and H2O ready for reuse. i@ I may work up the nickelsolutions in other waysi' e. g. to prepare nickeli'sulphate for electroplating. To do this I crystallize out nickel chloride from thev strong solution and treat the crystals with Asulphuric acid, driving oil' HCl-H2O gases of suitable strength for use in chloridizing.

When the ore is low in cobalt orV when the presence of cobalt in the nickel product is permissible I may separate iron and aluminum only from the original leach solution. When doing this I first oxidize the iron inthe solution to the vferrie state and then precipitate it with nickel carbonate or hydroxide -prepared from wash liquors, or frem a portion oi' the main solution.

My preferred procedures are particularly iad- Vantageous in that they avoid the necessity of introducing sulphur in any form at any stage of the process and thus assist in prodt'icing nickel metal and nickel alloys free rom that most disadvantageous impurity without utilizing special steps for its elimination.

vntizatm As for instance, when preparing solutions substargtially free from iron, and destroying unwanted chlorides at around 275 Ce I ventllate the chloridized ore to drive oil residual HCl. This is important, but at higherem'peratures inthe chloride-destroying operation, it becomes less so; less and less HC1 is; held inthe ore as the final temperature is raised.

Cozintercurent loperation as bearing on HCl 'e economy Iregard as of great importance my discovery that while gases of a certain maximum strength are required at a given temperature to effect a high percentage chloridizing of nickel, yet Work canbe accomplished by allrweaker strengths `oi! gases, and as correspondingly important the provisions of this invention for chloridizing treataosacos recovered HC1, the chloridizing operation is pierhaps not strictly counter-current, but I regard it as being included within the meaning oi' that I also consider very important the provisions made enabling perfection of gas-solid contact in the counterilow, and hence eillcient V*exposure of ore to eachjlprogressively increasing strength of gas; c

It will be readily appreciated yhow stationary reactors are interconnected for gas ow, andthe gas connectitons changed from time to time, so that counter-current owconditions are obtained although the ore is stationary. The same comments apply to interconnections and uid flow between leaching tanks.

The worgis forming the ore into pervious lumps as used in certain oi.' the claims are intexigled to include mere screening operations, or crushing and screening operations, which may be applied to ore consolidated, e. g. by natural agencies such as sun-baking, providing the consolidated ore is pervious. ,Y

The term drying used in certain of the claims is intended to include such preheating as is necessary tobring the ore up to initial chloridizing temperature. This preheating is in general a Vicy-product of the drying operation. hot climates surface sun-dried ore mayY need scarcely any drying, being substantially free from hygroscopio moisture. In such case the operation called drying next preceding the chloridizing step may be largely for pri-cheating purposes.

I claim: j

1. The process ci treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values comprising differentiallyrchloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essentialY chloridizing agent and gaseous H20 as essential restraining agent in controlled relative concentrations such that chloridization of the nickel values is effected and chloridization of iron present in the ore is largely inhibited, and thereafter Yseparating nickel chloride from the ore.

2. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values comprising dif- 3. The' process of treating lateritic oresjior reevery of contained nickel values comprising dif- `-ferentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative te the chloridizing temperature, the nickel being chloridiz'ed below about 300 C.Y and at least in substantial part above about C., and separating nickel chloride rom the ore. l

1 (i. The Yprocess of treating lateritic oresfor re- *75 covery oi contained nickel values comprising differentially chloridizing the nickel substantiallyin the dry way with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O`as essential restraining agent in controlled relative concentraing agent ,and with gaseous H2O as essential re-l straining agent iny relative concentrations con- .trolled relative to the chloridizing temperature,

leaching the chloridized ore to produce nickel solutions and working the solutions for metal values and for HCl-containing gases for reuse.

6. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values comprising differentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled vrelative to the chloridizing temperature, leaching the chloridizedore to produce nickel solutions and working the solutions for metal values and for HCl-containing gases for reuse by converting the leached chlorides to oxides at elevated temperatures by the agency of Hf0. L

'7. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickelA values comprising differentially chloridizing the nickel substantialy in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizmg agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative tothe chloridizing temperature, leaching the chloridized ore to produce nickel solutions 'and working the solutions for metal values and for HCl-containing gases for reuse by converting the leached chlorides to oxides lat elevated temperatures by the agency of H2O and an oxidizing agent.. i

8. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values comprising differentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HC1 as .essential chloridiz'ng agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroyin the dry way at temperatures below about 300y C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing4 agent and with ga'seous H20 as essential 'restraining agent in ,relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroying' at least one of the chlorides of ironand aluminum that maybe present, at temperatures at least in part above around 250 C., while protecting NiClz from destruction, leaching to produce nickel solutions and working the solutions for metal values. i

10. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values comprising differentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraini.

ing agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroying at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at least in part above around 250 C. by the agency of gaseous HsO while protecting NiClz from destruction, leaching to produce nickel solutions and working the solutions for metal values.

11. The process of treating lateritic ores fol;

recovery of contained nickel valuescomprising differentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroying chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at least in part above around 250 C. by the agency of gaseousHzO i ing agent in relative concentrations controlledV relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroying chlorides of iron arid aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at least invpart above around 250 C. by the agency of gaseous H2O and an oxidizing agent' while protecting NiClzfrom destruction, Ventilating the ore to remove HCl, leaching to produce nickel `solutions substantially free from iron and working the solutions for i metal values.

13. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values comprising dierentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseousI-IQO as essential restrainlng" agent in relative concentrations controlled' relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroying chlorides of iron and aluminum that may /be' present, at temperatures atleast in part above around 250 C. by the agency of gaseous HzOiand an oxidizing agent while protecting NiClz from destruction, Ventilating the ore to remove HCl,

' leaching to produce nickel solutions substantially free from iron and working the solutions for metal vaues and HCl-containing gases for reuse.

14. The processof treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values comprising vdifferentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and atleast in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous IjICl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restrainelevated temperatures by treatment with H2O.

ing agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroying chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at least in part above around 250 C. by the agency of gaseous H2O and an oxidizing` agent while protecting NiClz from destruction, Ventilating the ore to remove HCl, leaching to produce nickel solutions substantially free from iron and working the solutions`for metal values and HC1-containing gases for reuse by converting the leached chlorides to oxides at a 15. 'I'he process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of'contained nickel values comprising differentially chloridizingthe nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures belowabout 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroying chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at least in part above around 250 C. by the agency of gaseous H2O andl an oxidizing agent While protecting NiClz from destruction, leaching to produce nickel solutions and working the solutions for-metal values.'

16. The process of treatinglateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values comprising diierentiallyichloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in'substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restrainthe solutions for metal values and HCl-containing gases for reuse.

19. The process of treating lateritic ores for I recovery of contained nickel values comprising diierentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dg way at temperatures below about 300 C.

and a1: least in substantial part above about 19o` .Y chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at. least in part above around 250 C. by theagency of gaseous H2O while protecting NiClz from destruction, ventilating the ore to remove HC1, leaching and working the resulting solutions for metal values and HCl-containing gases for reuse by converting the leached chlorides to oxides at elevated temperatures by treatment with H2O.

20. 'I'he process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising drying the ore while retaining thel natural nickel reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and maximum drying temperature, differentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and atleast in substantial part 'above about 190 with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroying chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures ing agent in relative concentrations controlled at least in Part abve around 250 C- by the agency relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroy-- ing chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at least in part above around 250 C.,by the agency of gaseous H2O and an oxidizing agent while protecting NiClz from destruction, leaching to produce nickel solutions and working the solutions for metal values and HCl-containing gasesjfor reuse.

17. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values comprising differentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the 'chloridizing temperature, destroying at least one ofthe chlorides of iron and aluminum that may b e present, at temperatures at least in part above around 250 C. by the agency of gaseous H2O while protecting NiClz from destruction, Ventilating the ore to remove HCL'ieaching to produce nickel solutions and working the solutions for metaPvalues.

i8. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values comprising diierentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing" agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroying at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at least in part above aiound 250 C. by the agency oi gaseous H2O whilep'rotecting NICI: from destruction, ventilatin'g the ore .to remove HC1, leaching toproduce nickel solutions and working of gaseous H2O and an oxidizing 'agent while Lprotecting NlClrfrom destruction, leaching to produce nickel solutions and working the solu- =tions i'or metal valuesy and HC1-containing gases 2l. Ihe process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising drying the ore while retaining the natural nickel reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and maximum dry- 'ing temperature, diierentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C, and at least in substantial part above about 190 with gaseous H'Cl as essentialv chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative tothe chloridizing temperature, destroying chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, attemperatures at least in part above around 250 C. by

the agency of gaseous H2O while protecting NiClz from destruction, Ventilating the ore to remove HClfleaching and. working the resulting solutions for metal values and HCl-containing gases for reuse by converting the leached chlorides to oxides at elevated temperatures by treatment with H20.

22. The process of treating lateritic ores for* Areclavery o1' contained nickel,l values, comprising forming the ore into pervious roughly like sized lumps, differentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in controlled relative concentrations, and thereafter separating nickel chloride from the ore. .f v

23. The process oi' treating lateritic ores for recovery' of contained nickel values, comprising Iii) forming the ore into pervious'roughly like Vsized 75 lumps, differentially chloridizing the nickel values oi' said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent passed in countercurrent to the ore body, said agents being used in controlled relative concentrations, and thereaftern separating nickel chloride from the ore.

24. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values. comprising forming the ore into pervious roughly like sized lumps, differentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in controlled relative concentrations, said gaseous agents being passed through the interstices of said body, thereafter separating nickel chloride from the ore and leaching to produce 'nickel solutions.

25. The process of treating lateritic ores vfor recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into pervious roughly like sized lumps, differentially chloridizing the nickel f values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the nickel being chloridized below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C., and leaching to produce nickel solutions.

26. The processof treating lateritlc ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into pervious roughly like sized lumps, diierentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in controlled relative concentrations, thereafter separating nickel chloride from the ore by leaching in counter-current to produce strong nickel solutions.

27. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore int-o pervious roughly like sized lumps, differentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry Way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the nickel being chloridized below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C., leaching in counter-current to produce strong nickel solutions, and Working the solutions for metal values and for HCl-containing gases for reuse.

28. Theprocess of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into pervious roughly like sized lumps, differentially chloridizing the nickle values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing vagent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in controlled relative concentrations, destroying substantially all of at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may he present, wl'iile protecting nickel chloride from destruction, leaching to produce nickel solutions, and crystallizing the chlorides present in said solutions.

29. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values. coiriprising` forming the ore into pervious roughly like sized lumps, diierentially chloridizing the nickel values oi said ore by treating a body of said lumps in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least a substantial-part above about 190 C. with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, leaching to "produce nickel solutions, and crystallizing the chlorides present in said solutions.

30. The process of treatingl lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values,'comprising differentially chloridizing the nickel values while retaining the natural nickel reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished, said chloridizing being carried out substantially in the dry way with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in controlled relative concentrations such that chloridization of the nickel values is effected and chloridization of iron present in the ore is largely inhibited, and thereafter separating nickel chloride from the ore.

3l. The'process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising drying the ore while retaining the natural nickel reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and maximum drying temperature, differentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way with gaseous HCl as essential'chloridizlng agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relativeV concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature so that chloridization of the nickel values is effected and chloridization cf iron present in the ore is largely inhibited, and leaching to produce nickel solutions.

32. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising drying the ore While retaining the natural nickel reactivity of the ore'substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and maximum. drying temperature, differentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way with gaseous HCl as'essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the nickel being chloridized below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C., and separating nickel chloride from the ore.

33. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising drying the ore While retaining the natural nickel reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and maximum drying temperature, differentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C. with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, leaching the chloridized ore to produce nickel solutions and working the solutions for metal values and for HCl-containing gases for reuse.

34. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickehvalues, comprising drying the ore while retaining the natural nickel reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and maximum drying temperature, differentially chloridizing .the

nickel substantially in the dry `way-at temperatures below'fabout 300 C. and at least in sub-g stantial part above about C. with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, leaching the chloridized ore to produce nickel solutions and working the solutions for metal values and for HCl-containing gases for reuse by converting the leached chlorides to oxides at elevated temperatures by the agency of H2O, and in the case of FeClz, by the agency of an oxidizing agent as well. Y i

35. 'I'he process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising drying the ore while retaining the natural nickel reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and maximum-drying temperature, dlierentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part aboveA about 190 with gaseous HC1 asessential chloridizing agent anctewlth gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relativeroto the :chloridizing temperature, destroying at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, while protecting NiCiz from destruction, leaching to produce nickel solutions and working the solutions for metal values. 36. The process of treating lateritic ores fior recoyery of contained nickel values, comprising drying the ore while retaining the natural nickel reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and maximum drying temperature, diiesentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry jWay at temperatures below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 which gaseous HC1 as essentfml chloridizing agent and with gaseous 2120 as emential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chioridizing temperature, destroying chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at least in part above around 2 3 C. by-the agency of gaseous H2O while protecting NiClz from destruction, leaching t producel nickel solutions and working the solutions for metal values and HC1- containing gases for reuse. E* 37. 'Ihe process of treating lateritic ores for recovery ofcontained nickel values, comprising drying the ore while retaining the natural nickel reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying and maximum drying temperature, dlierentially chloridizing the nickel substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 300 C; and at least in substantial part above about 190? with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H20 as essential restraining agent in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, destroying-chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperaturI s at least in part above around 250e C. by t e agency of gaseous H2O and an oxidizing agent while protecting NiClz from destruction, Ventilating the ore to remove HC1, `leaching to produce nickei Ysolutions substantially free from iron andliworking Ithe solutions for metal values and HCl-containing gases for reuse by converting the leached chlorides to oxides at elevated temperatures by treatment with H2O. s

38. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into pervious lumps, drying said lamps while maintaining the natural nickel reactivity of the ore substantially undiminishedby control of the drying time andmaximum drying temperature. differentially; chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps oi roughly like size substantially in the dry way y with gaseous HCe as essential chloridizing agent and gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent in controlled relative concentrations, said gaseous agents being passed systematically throngh the interstices of said body, and thereafter separating nickel chloride from the ore.' i.

39. 'I'he process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore nto pervious lumps, drying said lumps While maintaining the natural nickel reactivity pf the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and maximum drying temperature, differentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps oi roughly like size substantially in the dry way at temperatures below about 30G? C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C. with gaseous HC1 asessentiai chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent passed substantially in countercurrent throughv the oregbody, said agents being used in relativeA concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, leaching to produce nickel solutions and Working the solutions for metal values.

40. The process of treating iateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into pervious lumps, drying said lumps while maintaining the natural reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and the maximum drying teinperature, differentially;chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the ,dry Way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent passed in countercurrent througli` the ore body, said agents being used in grelativezoncentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the chloridizing temperature being maintained below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C., leaching the chloridized ore in lump form in countercurrent to produce strong nickel solutions, and working' the solutions to recover the metal values. Y

4l. The process of @treating lateritic ores for recoveryof contained-nickel values; comprising forming the ore into pervious lumps, drying said lumps while maintaining the natural reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control pf the drying time and the maximum drying temperature, differentially chloridizing the nickel values of said cre by treating abody of said lumps substantially in the dry way vgith gaseous H'Cl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H20 as essential restraining agent passed in countercurrent through the cre body said agents being used in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the chloridizing temperature being maintained below about 3=30 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C., leaching the chloridized ore inglump form in countercurrent to producegstrong nickel solutions, and working the solutions to recover the metal values. i

42. The process of; treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values;y comprising forming the ore into pervious lumps, drying said lumps while maintaining the natural reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and the maximum drying temperature, differentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body oi said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizlng agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent passed in countercurrent through the ore body, said agents being used in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chlorldizing temperature, the chloridizlng temperature being maintained below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C., destroying at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present while protecting nickel chloride from destruction, leaching the chloridized ore in lump form in countercurrent to produce strong nickel solutions and crystallizing the chlorides present in said solutions.

43. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into pervious lumps, drying said lumps while maintaining the natural reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and the maximum drying temf' perature, differentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating abcdy of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent passed in countercurrent through the ore body, said agents being used in relative' concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the chloridizing temperature being maintained below about 300 C. and at least insubstantial partabove about 190 C., destroying at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present while protecting nickel chloride from destruction, leaching the chloridized ore in lump iorm in countercurrent to produce strong nickel solutions, and crystallizing the chlorides present in said solutions.

tl. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ere into pervious lumps, drying said lumps while maintaining the natural reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and the maximum'drying temperature, diierentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry Way with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent passed in countercurrent through the ore body, said agents being used in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the chloridizing temperature being maintained below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about C., destroying at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present While protecting nickel chloride from destruction. leaching the chloridized ore in lump form in countercurrent to produce strong nickel solutions, separating any iron and cobalt present in said solutions while maintaining high concentration of said solutions and substantially the initial freedom of said solutions from alkali and alkaline earth metal salts, and working the solutions to recover the nickel values.

45. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into perviou's lumps, drying said lumps while .maintaining the natural reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and the maximum drying temperature, differentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore bytreating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent passed in countercurrent through the ore body, said agents being used in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the chloridizing temperature being maintained below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C., destroying at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present while protecting nickel chloride from destruction, leaching the chloridized ore in lump form in countercurrent to produce strong nickel solutions, separating any iron present in said solutions While maintaining high concentration of said solutions and substantially the initial freedom of said solutions from alkali and alkaline earth metal salts, and working the solutions to recover the nickel values.

46. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into pervious lumps, drying said lumps while maintaining the natural reactivity of the ore substanitally undiminished by control of the drying time and the maximum drying.

temperature, differentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry Way with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous f` form inV countercurrent to produce strong nickel solutions, separating any iron and cobalt present in said solutions while maintaining high concentration of said solutions and substantially the initial freedom of said solutions from alkali and alkaline earth metal salts, and crystallizing the nickel chloride present in said solutions.

47. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into pervious lumps, drying said lumps while maintaining the natural reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and the maximum drying temperature, differentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HC1 as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent passed in countercurrent through the ore body, said agents being used in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the chloridizing temperature being maintained below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C., destroying at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present while protecting nickel chloride from destruction, leaching the chloridized ore in lump form in countercurrent to produce strong nickel solutions, separating any iron and cobalt present in said solutions while maintaining high concentration of said solutions and substantially the initial freedom of ysaid solutions from alkali and alkaline earth metal salts, crystallizing the nickel chloride present in said solutions, and working the nickel chloride to recover the nickel content and HCl-containing gases 48. The processor treatingslateritic ores for reco'very of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into pervious lumps, drying said lumps while maintaining the natural reactivity o'f the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and the maximum drying temperature, differentially chloridlzing 'the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizng agent andwith gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent passed in countercurrent throughthe ore body, said agents being used in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the chloridizing temperature being maintained below about 300 C. and at least in substantial part above about 190 C., destroying at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at least in part above around 1250 C., while protecting nickel chloride from destruction, leaching the chlcridized ore in countercurrent t'o produce strong nickel solutions, separating any iron and cobalt present in said solutions while maintaining high concentrations of said solutions and substantially the initial freedom of said solutions from alkali and alkaline earth metal salts,

crystallizing the nickel chloride present in said solutions, and working the nickel chloride to recover the nickel content and HCl-containing gases for reuse.

49. The process of treating lateritic ores; for recovery of contained nickel values, comprising forming the ore into pervious lumps, drying said lumps while maintaining the natural reactivity of the ore substantially undiminished by control of the drying time and the maximum drying temperature, diierentially chloridizing the nickel values of said ore by treating a body of said lumps substantially in the dry way with gaseous HCl as essential chloridizing agent and with gaseous H2O as essential restraining agent passed in counter- 2,ose,ee4

current through the ore body, said agents being used in relative concentrations controlled relative to the chloridizing temperature, the chloridizing temperature being maintained below about 300 C. and at least in. substantial part above about 190 C., destroying at least one of the chlorides of iron and aluminum that may be present, at temperatures at least in part above around 250 C., while protecting nickel chloride from destruction, removing any residual HCl by Ventilating the body of lumps, cooling the lumps, leaching the chloridized ore in countercurrent to produce strong nickel solutions; separating any iron. and cobalt present in said solutions while maintaining high concentration of said solutions and substantially the initial freedom of said solutions from alkali and alkaline earth metal salts, crystallizing the nicke chloride present in said solutions, and working the nickel chloride to recover the nickel content and HCl-containing gases for reuse.

50. The process of treating lateritic ores for recovery of contained nickel values which comprises bringing a gas mixture consisting in large measure of gaseous HC1 and gaseous H2O into reacting relationship with said ore at a chloridizing temperature and so proportioning the amounts of HC1 and H2O in the gas mixture with respect to each other and to the temperature that chloridization of the nickel values is effected and chloridization of iron present in said ore is largely inhibited.

51. The process of treating lateritic ores for re-` covery of contained nickel values which comprises bringing a gas mixture consisting in large measure of gaseous HC1 and gaseous H2O into countercurrent reacting relationship with said ore ata chloridizing temperature and so proportioning the amounts of HC1 and H2O in the gas mixture with respect to each other and to the temperature that chloridization of the nickel values is effected and chloridization of iron present in said ore is largely inhibited.

ERNEST W. WESCO'I'I. 

